The present invention relates to putters, and in particular, to putters having a unique weight configuration.
Putter type golf club heads come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Putters with heel-toe weight have become standards in the industry because of the increased polar moment of inertia, which resists turning or torquing of the putter when a ball is struck off of the center of gravity or center of percussion. To this end, many putters have been made with weight at the extreme outer ends, and whereas this increases the polar moment of inertia, often there is a sacrifice in mass directly at the point where the ball is struck. These types of putters tend to be elongated, which are visually more pleasing and which are easier to line up.
The present invention contemplates a putter design which maintains from a vertical viewpoint the visual and aesthetic qualities of an elongated putter, but wherein the overall mass of the putter head is more effectively brought closer to the center of percussion while still maintaining a more balanced heel-toe weight configuration. Various embodiments of the invention are provided wherein at least a portion of the putter head body is undercut from the overall length of the putter at the ends. Therefore, the top ridge and adjacent upper portion of the putter head in these embodiments are considerably longer from toe to heel than the remaining lower portion of the putter head. Stated in other words, the toe and heel sections of the top ridge and the upper portion of the putter head extend beyond the length of the lower portion of the putter head. The extreme ends of the toe and heel sections of the upper portion may overlay the entire sections of the lower portions at the heel and toe, rearwardly located from the face to the rear portion of the putter head, or may overlay only a portion of the putter face adjacent the toe and heel sections. These portions are partially recessed into the face of the putter head at the ends, or similarly may overlay only a portion of the rear section of the putter head at the heel and toe, these portions being partly recessed into the rear of the putter head at the ends thereof. The heel and toe undercuts enable the top surface of the putter head to extend beyond the lower main body of the putter head, permitting the overall length of the putter head to be made longer without significantly adding to the overall weight of the club head. This arrangement also permits the primary heel and toe weight mass to be located closer to the center of percussion, or center of gravity of the club head, thereby providing increased feel and more accurate playability when a golf ball is struck at or near the center of percussion.
Among the objects of the present invention are the provision of a putter head having an elongated top ridge with lower undercut sections at the heel and toe areas; the provision of a golf club head wherein an elongated putter head has a weight configuration located closer to the center of percussion, and the provision of a putter type golf club head which is easier to align and has increased feel and more reliable playability. These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and drawings, which are exemplary only, and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.